By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Dandenong Hospital is set for an up-to-$295 million upgrade, according to an election pledge by the State Labor Government.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced on 29 October the upgrade of the hospital’s emergency department as well as a new intensive care unit, operating theatres and a new outpatient clinic for specialist appointments.
Two floors would be built above the ED, expanding its capacity for an extra 12,000 patients a year.
The works are expected to start by 2026.
The hospital admits more than 31,000 patients a year and treats more than 79,000 people in the ED.
Official performance data shows the ED has been under unprecedented strain over the past year, as well as long wait times for elective surgery at Dandenong.
The latest health pledge brings the Government’s ‘Hospital Plan for the South-East’ up to $962 million.
This year, the Government has funded Casey Hospital’s ED upgrade. It has also promised to redevelop Monash Medical Centre.
“Only Labor is doing what matters – delivering a better Dandenong Hospital as part of our Hospital Plan for the South-East,” Mr Andrews said as he viewed completed works of the $577 million Victorian Heart Hospital in Clayton.
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said local hospitals needed to grow to cater for the “booming” South East suburbs.
“Labor’s Hospital Plan for the South-East will deliver an upgraded Casey Hospital, Monash Medical Centre and Dandenong Hospital – making sure locals get quality care closer to home.”
Greens Dandenong candidate Matthew Kirwan said the four-year-plus wait for more emergency beds was “way too late”.
“It shows that the Andrews Government has dropped the ball when it comes to health planning.
“Also we can’t solve the problems of our health system with just extra emergency beds.
“It does nothing to address the doubling of elective surgery wait times at Dandenong Hospital over the last year.”
Mr Kirwan said the Government was silent on Monash Health’s own strategic plan in 2019 calling for more elective surgery beds in Dandenong.
“Dandenong Hospital has not kept pace with the local population and people are now waiting an average of 164 days for vital surgery.
“The residents of Dandenong and surrounding suburbs deserve better.”
Mr Kirwan said the Greens had a plan to “take pressure off our valued hospital staff” and end the “exodus” of health-care workers by raising wages and employing more GPs and nurses in clinics.
